Out for a Walk c. 1780 - 1801

Katsukawa Shunchō created this woodblock print called "Out for a Walk," sometime in the late 1700s, as part of the Ukiyo-e movement in Japan. During the Edo period, Japan's cultural landscape was rapidly changing. The merchant class was gaining economic power and influence, which was reflected in the art of the time. "Ukiyo-e," which means "pictures of the floating world," captured the transient and ephemeral aspects of life, like fashion, entertainment, and leisure. Woodblock prints became a popular and affordable art form, catering to the tastes of this rising merchant class. This print depicts a group of women strolling beneath a parasol. Their elaborate kimonos, hairstyles, and accessories signal their association with the pleasure quarters of Edo society. The image is not just a snapshot of everyday life; it reflects the growing consumer culture and the increasing importance of fashion and entertainment in urban centers. Historical research into fashion trends, social customs, and popular culture of the Edo period gives a better understanding of what this print meant to its original audience. Art, you see, is always a product of its time.